When Jefferson County went to the dogs a year ago, officials thought 10 percent of the county’s estimated 164,000 canines would be licensed under requirements new to city residents.
The cities have exceeded that projection, with compliance rates ranging from 15 percent in Wheat Ridge to 23 percent in Arvada.
In unincorporated Jefferson County, which has licensed dogs since 1994, the rate remained at one in three dogs.
“All in all, it was a successful start,” said Jeffco animal-control manager Carla Zinnati.
Getting Fido licensed ties in closely with building a new countywide animal center.
The licensing program — which hiked fees from $7 to $15 for neutered or spayed dogs, and from $25 to $30 for unaltered dogs — was instituted to help reunite dogs with owners, track dangerous dogs across jurisdictions and pay for a new Table Mountain Animal Center, or TMAC.
While it’s too early to get a handle on dangerous dog dealings, Lakewood impounded nearly 14 percent fewer dogs because owners were more easily located, easing TMAC’s load.
The facility at 4105 Youngfield St. Service Road in Golden was built in 1966 as a dog pound. Standards have changed since then, and the center is outdated and overcrowded.
For several years, TMAC members — which are the county and its cities — have worked on possible solutions.
It’s too expensive to retrofit the current 13,000-square-foot building, and a county-owned site at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds could accommodate a new 30,000-square-foot facility.
With more licenses issued than expected, first-year revenues totaled $464,135. But that’s not enough for city and county officials to commit to construction of a new TMAC, which may cost about $9 million.
After spending $86,000 for the licensing program’s administrative costs, $378,135 appears headed to the TMAC building fund under an informal agreement between city managers.
To get the new shelter off the ground, Jeffco Commissioner Kevin McCasky will toss out two financing proposals on Tuesday for his fellow board members to chew on.
“It’s time to move forward,” McCasky said, especially with delays in selling land under the current TMAC to help finance a move and with construction costs rising.
McCasky favors using $3 million from the general fund as seed money, with the money secured in certificates of participation to be paid back from dog-licensing revenues. The Table Mountain Animal Center Foundation would raise the rest.
A second scenario calls for Jefferson County to provide $9 million through certificates of participation and to assume management of TMAC, making it a county division.
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
